|
|
Thanks a lot for helping me out Butters!
-3/20/09-
~Tami
Flower is in the beauty contest this week! Vote? 8D
You are walking along a trail in a densely wooded forest. The sun's light spears through the pine trees and creates little patterns of light on the forest floor. All is peaceful and you smile as a gentle breeze rushes by and you see a pair of birds flutter around in front of you. Then, out of nowhere, you hear a menacing growl and stop dead in your tracks, terrified. After a few seconds which seem to stretch on for several minutes, the growling subsides. A pale red Lupe emerges from the bushes a few feet ahead at you. She stares at you with dark blue eyes, seeming to decide what she should do with you. You feel your limbs begin to unlock when you see her features relax. "I'm sorry for having scared you like that," she says in a soft melodic voice. "I can't be too careful around here, you know?" She stares at you again with calculating eyes. "Hmm…How would you like to visit my home?" she asks, adding, "So long as you never tell anyone where it is." You blink your eyes, confused as to why she would make such an offer, but answer yes as you realize this is a privilege you would most likely never receive again. "Very well," she replies. "Follow me." With a flick of her tail, the Lupe leads you off the trail and deep into the forest.
As you step around a few bushes and weave through several trees, you suddenly gasp at the sight before you. Stretching out before you is a sea of gently waving silver-green grass. The clearing is surrounded by trees, and the sun reflects off a lake to the right of the field. The place has a very calm and tranquil atmosphere, as if no trouble could ever beseech it. "Welcome to my home," announces the Lupe. You are jolted back to your senses at the sound of her voice. "It's beautiful," you breathe. A smile gently touches the Lupe's features. "Thank you," she says. "My name is Flower, by the way," she tells you. "May I ask what yours is?" "guest," you answer. "…guest, would you perhaps like to know how I came to find this place?" Flower asks. Eagerly, you say yes.
Well, my life has never been easy," Flower starts off. "I was born in a large pack. And before you go off thinking that should be a benefit, it wasn't. My mother was not the Alpha female. She was lucky to be able to stay in the pack and keep me and my siblings. I was the youngest out of the five of us…as well as the weakest. Life was always that much harder for me than my brothers and sisters. It always seemed that I would get the shortest end of the stick. As I grew up, that sort of treatment continued. I had become the Omega of my pack. Omegas have the lowest privileges of any pack member," she explains. "I remember resenting my status from time to time, but I was usually the quick-to-submit Omega that my rank demanded, so I could continue to survive. There was one day during my time with my pack that I shall never forget: the day my rank actually saved my life.
I remember it being a warm, lazy day. Hardly a thrush stirred in the forest. My pack was out hunting and I trailed along at the back of the group, my stance low and submissive. We came to the edge of the trees, and the pack stilled as one. We had come across a dead deer lying just off the hunting path. It seemed like it was untouched. The Alpha walked up to it and sniffed it a little. Seeming satisfied with it, he began to tear at the flesh. Our Alphess rushed forward to have her fill and the rest of the my packmates growled in anticipation. I slunk back even farther from the group to await my turn which would come only after everyone else had eaten. A few moments passed when our Alpha slowly stepped away from the deer. His eyes seemed glazed over and he walked with uncertain steps. By then, mostly all of the pack had had a piece of the deer. I felt my eyes widen in shock as our Alpha began to convulse in what looked like a seizure. He fell to the ground, limbs twitching uncontrollably, eyes glazed, tongue lolling out, and a silent scream of pain etched on his face." Flower closes her eyes tightly, pausing before she begins again. "I'd never felt so scared in my life. Shortly after the Alpha died, the rest of the pack began to convulse in the same manner. I felt the fear claw at my chest and nearly incapacitate me. My whole pack was gone. Life as I knew it was over. And all it took was a single bite from that putrid deer. Finally regaining some of my strength, I stood up and ran. I ran as I had never run before. I kept running until my limbs screamed with protest and my breath came only in short, ragged gasps. I collapsed at the edge of our territory and slipped swiftly into a deep sleep.
When I woke the next morning, it took a while for me to realize where I was and why I was here. I let out a mournful whine when it hit me. Even though I had been the Omega of my pack, there were a few lupes that were kind to me, and I was looked after. As I lay there, I made up my mind: I would leave my pack's territory behind and try to find a place of my own. I did not want to continue living in a place that would only bring me pain. I stood up and began my journey. My flight from the previous night had left my muscles cramped, but I pressed on regardless. I wanted to get a good few miles between me and the territory before I would actually begin to search for a new home.
I kept on traveling for moons, occasionally passing by another lupe's territory. If it was a pack, I skirted the boarders. I usually did the same for loners, but over time my confidence grew and I would just slip quickly through. The few lupes I met face-to-face usually showed little interest in me, and I little interest in them. Save for one. I remember coming across him in quite the same fashion as you. I wasn't quite so aggressive, though. He wasn't a human, and I could tell he was young and would most likely pose no threat to me. His name was Baltheir, and he was a pirate. Surprisingly, we were able to converse for what seemed like hours. After a while, he excused himself to go back to his captain's ship. I bade him farewell and watched him leave. I haven't seen him sense, but I believe he is doing well.
It was then, a moon later and in the frightful chill of winter that I found this place. I knew I needed a place to stay that would get me through the harsh season. The field here was covered in snow and a thick layer of ice covered the lake. My first night here, I sheltered under the trees at the edge of the field. In the morning, I decided to scout out the place. I found a stream nearby that wasn't covered in ice and would allow me to drink from it. Satisfied, I followed it upstream, my paws lightly crunching in the soft snow that blanketed the ground. I found several tracks of prey, and my stomach growled in protest. It was time to hunt.
At the end of the day, I returned to my spot under the trees. I reveled in all my findings: prey, water, shelter, and a beautiful landscape. I could hardly believe that no other pack or lupe had come and taken it already. And so, I've lived here ever since. My life has been quiet and peaceful. Once in a while, I scent other lupes. They're usually loners, and pass right through my territory, travelers like I once was. I always let them go on their way. There's no need for pointless trouble. Although, there is one particular scent I keep noticing around here. It's usually at the edges of my territory, but I've noticed that it seems to be moving farther in. Whoever's scent it is, he's bold, but I'm ready for any trouble that might come of it..
Oh, please excuse my rambling, guest," Flower smiles sheepishly up at you. "I'm sure it's nothing. Well, it appears I have come to the end of my story." She glances up at the sky, and then back at you. Long shadows have spread and the sun has left a crimson streak across the sky. "It appears I've kept you from home long enough. Come, I'll lead you back to the trail. It would not be good to become lost in the woods at night." Flower stands up and begins to weave gracefully through the trees. You follow her, and soon you both reach the trail close to the same spot where you met earlier. "Goodbye, guest, it was nice meeting you. Perhaps we shall see each other again. Until then, remember your promise." You nod your head and say goodbye, then walk down the trail, pondering the events of the day as the final light of the sun sinks below the horizon.
Part of Flower's story is based on the great book Wolf: the journey home by 'Asta Bowen.
~Statistics~
Page veiws since 3/30/07:
~cursor by I-pets.com~
Song playing: The Black Rose
Fan art!
Awards!
Family and Friend banners:
These are some other pages you should visit:
Link trades are always welcome. =D
My banner: *important note: The picture of Flower was drawn by Butterflyx21, not me.
NEOPETS, characters, logos, names and all related indicia
are trademarks of Neopets, Inc., © 1999-2009.
® denotes Reg. US Pat. & TM Office.
All rights reserved.
PRIVACY POLICY | Safety Tips | Contact Us | About Us | Press Kit
Use of this site signifies your acceptance of the Terms and Conditions
